The proof is in our graduates.

Policy

Accessibility Policy

Policy Statement

It is the Policy of Seneca College that all students and employees shall work in an inclusive teaching, learning and working environment that acknowledges and promotes equal rights for all persons with disabilities as enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005). The College also affirms its commitment to ensure equal access and opportunity in all employment, education, accommodation or business dealings with the College.

Seneca College embraces the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and is committed to expanding its access and support to all students, employees and visitors with disabilities, by having as its goal a barrier-free learning and working environment to enable academic and employment success.

The Office of the Vice-President, Human Resources, will be responsible for the administration and communication of this policy.

Procedures

Accessibility Policy

Administrative Guidelines

To ensure compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and to enhance our commitment to all persons with disabilities, Seneca College will:

Ensure all of its policies, procedures and practices comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and related Standards, guidelines, directives and/or legislation.

Maintain and create physical facilities and technology accessible safe and barrier-free environments at all campuses/locations for students and employees within the limits of available human, financial and physical resources.

Ensure its leased facilities are accessible and compliant with the Ontario Building Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Provide adequate information, awareness and training to foster a supportive and inclusive teaching, learning and working environment and remove systemic and attitudinal barriers.

Monitor recruitment strategies to ensure employment opportunities are being advertised to organizations that seek employment for persons with disabilities.

Continue to make every reasonable accommodation for the particular needs of self-identified persons (students and employees) with documented disabilities as per the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Ensure individual employee accommodation plans are finalized and agreed to at time of employment offer.

Ensure student accommodation plans are finalized by advising students to contact Counselling and Disability Services in advance of the start of the semester.

Implement early and safe return-to-work strategies with care and commitment to support the employee's well-being and ability to handle the essential responsibilities of the position.

Ensure prospective employees requiring accommodation will be assessed against the essential duties of the job.

Monitor admission policies to ensure that students with disabilities are considered for admission to programs for which they are academically qualified

Continue to accommodate, whenever possible, program course load, examination procedures, and other academic requirements to permit students with disabilities to successfully complete their program of study.

Ensure people with disabilities who use a service animal or support person are permitted to bring that service animal or support person with them when accessing academic services and/or events at the College.

Ensure that all staff, faculty and employees of ancillary operations of the College are trained on regulatory customer service standards, including but not limited to, communication with persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal and/or support person.

Provide adequate notice to people with disabilities in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in services. The notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, length of disruption and any available alternative services (if any). Wherever possible, notices are to be placed in all publicly accessible areas/entrances and service counters, and where possible provided on outgoing telephone, TTY messages and the Seneca website.

Ensure that wherever possible, all college produced documents are in accessible and multiple formats.

Review and amend, where required, academic policies, programs and services, to ensure persons with disabilities are not disadvantaged.

Note:

“reasonable” is defined as those accommodations which do not impose undue hardship on the College in the form of significant alteration to the fundamental nature of the learning outcomes and/or the academic standards of a program or course; significant alteration to a work process that would disadvantage other employees; substantial economic hardship to a College program or department that would affect its economic viability; significant adverse impact on learning opportunities for other students; the health and safety of other students or employees and/or safety hazards to other persons or property; or significant disruption of College operations.